Krzysztof "The Polish Experiment" Soszynski, a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, says there is little comparison between the practical joker on the show and the real-life scrapper who is quickly making a name for himself with his devastating kimura.

"To be honest with you, I was just bored," says Soszynski of his practical joking on the popular reality show.

"There's no TV (in the TUF house). No radio. You can't read and there are no phone calls. I was just looking for ways to entertain myself and have some fun."

Soszynski lost in the semi-finals of Season 8 to Vinicius Magalhaes, thwarting a showdown with eventual winner Ryan "Darth" Bader.

Soszynski, who was favoured by many to win TUF 8, says he'd like to take on Bader in a UFC event in the near future. For now, Soszynski is savouring his recent win at UFC 97 and waiting for the phone to ring for his next assignment.

"I'd like to fight some guy who's on the outskirts of the Top 10 in the weight division," says the light-heavyweight, who trains with Dan Henderson's Team Quest.

"I'm an honest guy, I know there are still some things I have to work on in my game."

Soszynski (17-8-1) is coming off a submission win over Brian Stann earlier this month in Montreal. It was the third consecutive kimura win for Soszynski, who earned a $70,000 bonus for Submission of the Night.

'SUCH AN HONOUR'

"It was one of the first submissions I really learned and it's still one of my most effective," he says.

Fighting in front of a Canadian audience was overwhelming.

"I also had my 12-year-old son and wife in the front row, and my father as well. I think they were more nervous than I was," says Soszynski.

"Fighting in front of them and the Canadian fans is still one of the best nights of my life. It's such an honour to fight in front of your home country. I still get a huge smile on my face thinking about it."

The tattooed submission specialist began as a bodybuilder and pro wrestler in and around Winnipeg before discovering MMA.

He earned the nickname "The Polish Experiment" from friends at a pro wrestling camp who were amazed at his then-295-lb. sculpted frame.

Soszynski (now listed at 205 lbs.) was introduced to MMA from an unlikely source.

"I went to a pro wrestling camp in Calgary where Bad News Brown would get the guys to roll and grapple," remembers Soszynski.

Brown showed Soszynski a kimura and an Americana and "after that, I was hooked."